Biogenic synthesis of multi-applicative silver nanoparticles by using Ziziphus Jujuba leaf extract

•A novel synthesis of AgNPs at room temperature using Ziziphus Jujuba leaf extract.•A green, rapid, one step, cost effective, environmentally friendly synthesis.•Biogenically synthesized AgNPs were found to be stable for more than six months.•Reduction of 4-nitrophenol and Methylene Blue for environmental protection. Also the synthesized AgNPs shows good antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli.

Herein, we are reporting for the first time one step biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) at room temperature by using Ziziphus Jujuba leaf extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The process of nanoparticles preparation is green, rapid, environmentally benign and cost effective. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized by means of UV–Vis., XRD, FT-IR, TEM, DLS and Zeta potential. The absorption band centered at λmax 434 nm in UV–Vis. reflects surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of AgNPs. XRD analysis revealed, that biosynthesized AgNPs are crystalline in nature with the face centered cubic structure. FT-IR analysis indicates that nanoparticles were capped with the leaf extract. TEM images shows the synthesized nanoparticles are having different shapes with 20–30 nm size. The data obtained from DLS that support the hydrodynamic size of 28 nm. Zeta potential of −26.4 mV indicates that the nanoparticles were highly stable in colloidal state. The effect of pH, quantity of leaf extract and concentrations of AgNO3 were also studied to attend control over the particle size and stability. The synthesized AgNPs shows highly efficient catalytic activity towards the reduction of anthropogenic pollutant 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) and Methylene Blue (MB) for environmental protection. Synthesized AgNPs also exhibited good antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli.

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